Beach Blondes
by BTRTillTheEnd
Summary: Three months. Three Guys. One amazing summer. Adelaide DuPont is ready to ditch snowy Michigan for the beach and boys of Florida. Three guys. James, the senator's son. Carlos, the mystery man. And Logan, the perfect guy, only he has a girlfriend. But with new friends and her cousin Lucy, she's in for more trouble than she thought. Based on the book "Beach Blondes"
1. Preface

Hey everybody! I was going to wait until I uploaded the rest of "Love Is A Riddle" before I uploaded this, but I'll just start now. I'm telling you right now, that this is going to be really long. Like the story takes place over 3 months and each months has 25-30 chapters. Also THIS IS NOT MINE I own nothing at all. This is completely based off of "Beach Blondes" by Katherine Applegate and the rest of the Summer Series, but I added my own OCs and the Big Time Rush characters. I hope you like it! Also, Kendall is not in this story. Before you get angry, he is in the sequel and plays a big part. It may seem like the boys aren't in the story much at first, but they become very important as the story goes. Here's the full summery

Three Months. Three guys. One amazing summer. Adelaide DuPont is ready to ditch the cold, boyfriendless Michigan for the sun and boys of the Florida Keys. Three guys. James, the senator's son, has looks, money and power. Carlos, the mystery man, is mellow, intriguing, and definitely unique. And Logan, the perfect guy, only he has a girlfriend. But with new friends, her cousin Lucy, and miles of beach, Adelaide is in for more trouble than she thinks. Based of the book "Beach Blondes" by Katherine Applegate

This is the first of a 4 part series. If you like this story, then I will write the rest of the parts too.


	2. Detroit, MichiganNot Having A Good Time

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, not the plot nor Big Time Rush**

Beach Blondes: June

Chapter One- Not Having A Good Time

"I hate my life. I hate my life, and I hate Dak Zevon."

The school bus had dropped Adelaide DuPont off 6 blocks from her house in snowy Michigan. She now had slush in her boots and her toes were cold. Her lips were chapped. Her face stung from her long brown hair whipping her cheeks from the wind. Her numb fingers wrapped around her eleventh grade math text book. Her brown eyes streamed tears down her face as she faced the wind.

Why did she hate Dak? Because he was mature, insanely hot, and didn't know she existed. Even though Adelaide had stared at him during lunch, and sat next to him all last week in English, and even dreamt about him, he still didn't know she was there.

And then today, as Adelaide left school, she saw Dak. He stepped outside, looked at the miserable weather and said, "Hey, you live near me. Why don't I give you a ride home in my car instead of walking?" He said those very words. To Jennifer. If it was her, she would love life.

2 more blocks till home, Adelaide told herself. 2 more blocks of spitting snowflakes. There was no sun. ever. It was a lie teachers made up. And there was no true love, not in the real world. It was something TV shows and movies made up. It didn't how perfect you were, no true love. Maybe she should go tell Sean about her dream, he would think she was crazy, but he'd know that she existed.

Adelaide told her best friend, Kristina, about her dream. Kristina to march up to Dak and say something like "You're the man of my dream, literally." Sure. Kristina also suggested that Adelaide get his attention by "accidentally" bumping into him. That bruise healed in a few days.

Ten minutes later she finally opened the front door to her house.

"Is that you, sweetheart?" Her mother asked from the other room.

Adelaide walked in and set her wet wade of notebook paper on the carpet, her already hard to read handwriting now all blotchy and running together.

"It is you." Her mother said as she walked in. "How was your day?"

"Oh fine, except when I fell on my face, scraped my knee, banged my head on the banged my head on the bumper of the car, and had to chase down my math notes across the yard." Adelaide said sarcastically.

"Your aunt Melissa called." he mother stated.

"Okay,"

"She wants to know if you'd like the spend the summer down in Florida on Crab Claw Key. You know, she has that big house there now, practically a mansion, so there's plenty of room. And its right on the water."

"You mean, she's asking if I want to spend the summer, on the beach, in the sun, being on the beach, swimming, and being warm, and laying out and getting tan, and going to beach parties and getting windsurfing lessons from nice guys with awesome bodies?" She would like to know if I want to do that?"

"Well do you?" he mother asked.


	3. Prophecies of Love and Guy Number 1

Beach Blondes: June

Chapter Two- Prophecies of Love and Guy Number One

There it was! Adelaide was bouncing in her seat from excitement as she looked out the airplane window. The clouds had broken and the plane was in clear sunlight. She looked down at the perfect scene, so intensely beautiful it made her want to cry.

She noticed the guy in the seat across the aisle looking at her and grinning. He had dark brown hair that was styled up and was wearing sunglasses. She'd heard him tell someone his name was Logan. Adelaide blushed and quickly turned sideways in her seat to press her nose against the plastic window, avoiding to make eye contact with Logan.

No more bouncing, she ordered herself. Cool people do not bounce. And from the first moment in Florida she was going to be the new, cooler Adelaide. The sweet, nice, boring, average Adelaide whose big whoop in life was hanging out at the mall with the same people was going to left behind.

Below her was a line of islands, odd green shapes that looked like mismatched jewels. Tiny green islands fringed by white surf. Larger islands with houses in neat rows and the white cigar shapes of boats clustered around the shore. In every direction the ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, blue where it was deep, green where it was not as deep. The sun making a mirror out of the water at some points. They were over Crab Claw Key, and Adelaide laughed.

"See something funny?" The woman in the seat next to her asked.

"It's shaped just like a crab's claw," Adelaide said.

"What is?"

"Um, you know, Crab Claw Key. It's shaped like a… like a crab claw." She formed her hand into a crap shape and 'snapped' a couple of times.

"I think maybe that's how it got the name." the woman said. Very good, Summer told herself. Already you're on your way to impressing the people with your brilliance. She put her hands in her lap. She was regretting her decision to wear jeans and a blue "University of Michigan" sweatshirt. First of all, it was going to be too hot, judging from the sun, and second it was like wearing a sign that said "Hi, I'm a tourist from up north, mock me."

"You here for the summer, huh?" the woman asked. "Maybe you have a job here, or family?"

"An aunt." Adelaide said. "And a cousin. But I don't have a job, not yet. Although I do need to get one. Mostly I'm here to lie on the beach and swim."

The woman nodded seriously. She was and old woman who looked like she had some work done. "Here to meet boys, too, right? Find romance?"

Adelaide glanced at Logan, hoping her had not overheard that part of the conversation. "Maybe," Adelaide admitted. "I mean, it would be okay if I did, but that's not why I'm here."

The woman reached into her big bag and pulled out a box. "Would you like me to read your cards? No charge."

"Excuse me?"

"Tarot, honey. Tarot cards. That's what I do. I have a little studio just off the main road. Normally I'd have to charge you 25 dollars." She began laying brightly colored cards on the tray table. "We'll have to make this quick, we're getting ready to land."

"I guess you know that because you're a fortuneteller right? About the landing, I mean." The woman did not acknowledge the joke. She was laying out the cards.

"Ahh." she said.

"Ahh?"

"Hmm."

"What?" Adelaide didn't believe in things like tarot cards, but this was hard to ignore.

"You will definitely meet some young men this summer." the woman said.

"Well I always meet guys, I mean, there are guys at school. Half-"

"You will meet 3 young men, each very different, each very important in your life." Adelaide glanced at Logan, Please, let him not be able to hear this. "Well, thanks, ma'am."

"Three young men," the woman continued. "Maybe more, but defiantly these three." The pilot announced that they were beginning their approach. The lady started the gather her cards.

"Three guys, huh?"

"Three." a knowing, smug nod. "Each very different. One will seem to be a mystery, one will seem to represent danger. One will seem to be the right one."

Crab Claw Key came towards them suddenly. The shadow of the plane raced across the beach and city filled with people. "Seem?" Adelaide asked.

"The future is always shifting," the woman said, "Is your seatbelt fastened?"

The wheels touched town. The plane drove toward the terminal and Adelaide became nervous. "Just be cool. don't act like a dork from Michigan." she told herself.

"You watch out for the bad one."

"The bad-"

"One will represent mystery. One will be right. But the third one, you'd better watch out."

As soon as the place had come to a stop. Adelaide grabbed her bag from the overhead and shuffled toward the front with everyone else. She reached the door of the plane, and blazing hear attacked her. It glued her University of Michigan hoodie to her skin. Hot. Very, hot.

Logan squeezed past her on the stairs, hitting her with his bag. "Sorry." he said.

"No, it's my fault, I was looking around, I should have kept moving." Adelaide said.

"First time here?" he asked. His eyes were behind some very dark shades. His smiled was very nice, very cute.

"Uh'huh. Yes."

They had reached the bottom of the stairs. Logan moved away, walking quickly across the tarmac. Then he turned backwards. "Hey Michigan, My name's Logan and I'm from Minnesota. How long are you staying and what's your name?"

"Summer!" She yelled back, only answering the first question.

"Great," he said. "I'm here for the summer too." He waved and turned away.


	4. Passion, Hatred, Betrayal

Beach Blondes: June

Chapter Three- Passion, Hatred, Betrayal. And all in Ten Minutes

Adelaide braced herself as she walked into the terminal, awaiting the welcoming hug and the "how are you?" questions, but they didn't come. All around her, people were hugging, but no one was there for her. Adelaide took a look around and moved her bag to her other shoulder. Adelaide looked around at the people closely, She hadn't seen her cousin Lucy or her Aunt Melissa in years, not since she was twelve. Maybe they looked a lot different.

But no. No one was her. Maybe they forgot her, did she ever have her aunt's number? Maybe somewhere. Wait, was this even the right day? Was she even in the right place?

"Don't be a baby." She told herself. Her aunt was just late. She should go get her luggage. As she walked over she noticed that everyone was a lot more tan then her. And she was the only one wearing pants. Except for Logan, who was wearing worn Levi's and walked a little ahead of her and splotched with paint.

Adelaide felt as if she was following him, even thought they were just both going to luggage claim. He would probably turn around and think she was following him and then she would be embarrassed.

She came up to the luggage carousal and took a spot a few feet away from Logan as she was waiting for her luggage to come, looking nonchalant. He glanced at her, equally nonchalant. Adelaide checked her watch and scanned the room. She put on a perplexed look and checked her watch again.

"Get stood up?" Logan was suddenly beside her.

"What? Oh, yeah, I guess so. I mean, someone was supposed to pick me up. They aren't here thought." She smiled and then checked her watch again.

"Keep checking," he advised. "You never know when another minute will pass by. By the way, you never told me your name."

"It's Adelaide, Adelaide DuPont."

"Oh, excellent name." He said seriously, as though he thought it over. "Nice to meet you." He stuck his hand out. Adelaide took it and they shook hands. He had rough strong, hands, thought he held hers gently.

"Minnesota, huh?" Adelaide asked.

"St. Paul," he said. "I'm a senior, I mean, I will be."

"Me too."

"I hope my aunt gets here," Adelaide added, after several minutes of thinking of things to say.

"I'm going to call my grandfather to come pick me up as soon as I get my bag," Logan said. "If your aunt doesn't show, maybe we can give you a ride." He took off his sunglasses and put them in his pocket.

Adelaide took a quick sideways glance. Brown? He looked directly at her. She smiled and swallowed and looked at her watch. Yes, definitely brown. Warm brown eyes, a great smile, and rough hands.

Logan leaned forward and snatched up a big duffel bag. "That's mine, need a hand with yours?"

"No, I can handle them." Adelaide said.

"Cool, I'm going to go call my grandpa." Adelaide nodded.

By the time Adelaide had got her bag, Logan was at the phones. Adelaide left her luggage and went over to the phones. She dug the number out of her pocket and dialed. Three phones away, Logan rolled his eyes and hung up. Adelaide's phone rang 4 times before the answering machine. "Uh hey, It's Adelaide, I'm at the airport, I guess you're on your way so I'll wait. Bye."

When she looked up, Logan was gone. She looked across the hallway and saw him trying to get a dollar into a photo booth. Adelaide walked over.

"Hi again," she said. "I guess my aunt is on her way, no one answered."

"My grandpa didn't answer either, It's not his fault, I caught an earlier flight. Why won't this take my money?" Logan complained.

"You're getting your picture taken?"

He tried to shove the bill into the slot. "Trying to, I need a new passport photo while I'm down here. I want to go to the Caymans to do some scuba diving." He tried the dollar again.

"Here, try a new bill. Sometimes that works." Adelaide said. She dug a bill out and slid it into the slot.

"Thanks. I should have taken care of this at home, but you know, distractions." He sat on the little stool and closed the curtain. It flashed twice.

"Hey, I have 4 more," Logan said. "You want them?"

"I guess so," Adelaide said. "I can use them for before and after pictures." Logan opened the curtain, Adelaide was leaning against the booth, so now they were very close.

"Before and after what?" He asked.

"Tan," Adelaide said. "You know, so I can say "look how white I was and how tan I am now" cause I'm very pale…" For some reason, Logan was staring at her and not saying anything. He looked perplexed. Adelaide began to feel very uncomfortable. "You look… uh not pale." Logan said. "I mean, you have really pretty skin."

Adelaide touched her face, she was blushing. "My face is darker than the rest of me," she said. "I mean you should see the other parts, total whiteness."

The blush grew rapidly worse. _What did I just say?! _"What I meant was-"

"Go ahead." he said quickly, "Take those other pictures-"

"I just meant my legs are like-"

"Here, just sit and then make sure your face is-"

"I mean, they're- I didn't mean-"

He moved aside, and she tried to squeeze past him into the booth. They did a little dance, him moving one way, and her moving the other. He took her shoulders, intending to trade places with her. She looked up at him, intending to make a joke about how uncoordinated they were.

Both of them froze. Logan's eyes seem to glaze over. He bent down. His face was so close to hers, that when she turned her head, his mouth pressed sweetly against her cheek.

The separated in shock. Then, before she knew what was happening, Summer closed her eyes and his mouth met hers in an sweet, indescribably perfect kiss.

They separated in even greater shock. Adelaide was too dazed to know how she felt.

"I'm sorry," Logan said quickly. "I didn't mean to-"

Adelaide was feeling 2 things. Embarrassed on one side, and warm and happy on the other. Logan turned away abruptly.

"I'm really sorry," he repeated. "Really, I mean, I don't… I'm not some jerk who would do this."

"Its okay." Adelaide said. It was more than ok, but how Logan acted made her feel more embarrassed.

"I gotta go," Logan said. "Call my grandpa. Anyways, bye." and to her amazement, he quickly took off across the terminal.

Lucy Stone sat in the passenger seat of her mom's car. She turned the volume dial on the CD player loud enough for people around the island to hear Green Day. Through the dark-tinted windshield, she saw the sign for the airport and sighed.

Lucy's mother reached across and punched the power button with her manicured finger.

"She's going to be picked up by some pervert in that airport.." Melissa Stone said.

"I guess that would be bad right?" Lucy reached for the CD player.

"Maybe we'll get lucky and the flight will be late." Melissa said.

"Maybe we'll be lucky and it will crash." Lucy said as she turned the music up, only half as loud. They turned onto the road to the airport and saw a plane above their head.

"Maybe that's her plane." Melissa said. "We'd still get there before she could get off. I don't want her wondering around if she's been abandoned, poor kid. I bet that's her plane."

"Oh goody," Lucy said. "Should I start jumping for joy now, or should I wait till I actually see little miss sweet and light?"

"Lucy, so we have to do this? You might try to be civilized. Adelaide is you cousin, after all, your practically the same age."

"Then I guess everything will be perfect." Lucy said. "We'll instantly become best friends. We'll bake cookies together and giggle. And slowly but surely I'll turn into Adelaide and be just like her. That _is_ the plan, isn't it?"

Melissa gave Lucy a sour look. Then, with effort, forced a smile. "I kind of like this band. What's their name?" Lucy instantly turned off the music.

Melissa parked in the "no parking" zone and looked in the mirror. "She'll think I look old."

"Can we just get this over with?" Lucy asked. Melissa caught the eye of a skycap and pointed to the 2 bags in her backseat. She looked at her watch. "At least I won't be late."

Lucy followed her mother into the terminal. As usual;, Melissa moved at top speed, swaggering along with confidence of a person who expects everyone to clear a path.

"There she is!" Melissa pointed. "Come on, hurry up Lucy. The poor thing's standing by herself."

Lucy slowed down, taking the opportunity to straighten her sarong skirt, which had gotten twisted while she was in the car. She wore a faded tank top that rode up, revealing her tan, flat stomach. Her feet were bare. Her long dark hair was pulled back in a French braid, accentuating large, gray eyes.

Lucy saw Adelaide weaving her way through the passing crowd: a pretty brunette with skin from a Neutrogena ad, carrying electric blue nylon zipper bags and wearing something bulky and blue. Adelaide was smiling like she was Miss. America and looking depressingly wholesome.

Oh it was going to be a long summer, unless Lucy could get ride of her cousin.

There was no question in Lucy's mind why Melissa- Lucy had stopped calling her mom long ago- had invited Adelaide down for a visit. Summer was supposed to make Lucy normal. Melissa had decided that Lucy was getting depressed, not doing as well in school, and becoming more private. So her solution was to fly in the happy squad.

Then something else caught her eye. Logan Mitchell, standing by a bank of phones. Logan glanced around blankly, then did a perfect double take as his gaze met Lucy's. She smiled wryly. He looked uncomfortable, but gave a little wave before turning away to hide the fact that he was blushing.

Logan Mitchell. Well, not exactly a big surprise, given the phone call she got this morning. His hair was a little shorter, and he's grown a little more serious looking since the previous summer. Still, she'd recognize that face anywhere- even though it wasn't exactly his face that was stuck in her mind.

Adelaide was still rattled from the encounter in the photo booth, trying to slow down her heart rate when she spotted two familiar faces.

She wasn't sure if it was them, but they did look like them, and they were smiling at her. Well Aunt Melissa was. Lucy was just looking casual and glancing around. Casual in a totally beautiful _Glamour_ magazine way. And she wasn't wearing shoes. Way cool.

"Adelaide!" the woman yelled, holding out her arms out for a hug.

"Aunt Melissa!" Adelaide dropped her bag and gave her and her big stiff hair a hug. Bigger than she remembered. Maybe because Melissa was famous now, a best-selling romance novelist. Over her shoulder she caught Lucy's eye. Lucy made the smallest smile possible.

"I'm so sorry we're late," Aunt Melissa said. "I hope you weren't bored." Bored? No, defiantly not bored. That was one of the more intense fifteen-minute periods of her life.

"No I wasn't worried. I knew you'd be here."

"Good girl, and how was the flight?"

"It was fine, I guess. I mean, I haven't been on a lot of planes." Melissa rolled her eyes.

"Unfortunately, I've been on lots of plane. I feel like I scarcely touch the ground. In fact, I'm just on my way to another on now." Adelaide stared at her a second.

"Did you say you're on your way _now_?" Melissa looked at her watch.

"Yes, and look at the time. They'll be announcing my flight any minute now. I'm on a book tour. Albany, Syracuse, Cincinnati, and one of those places in the Midwest."

"You're leaving?" Adelaide asked, not getting it yet.

"In ten minutes," her aunt said. "But don't worry, Lucy will take care of you, and I'll be back in a week. You and Lucy will be good friends." Adelaide glanced hopefully at Lucy. Lucy didn't look like she wanted to be friends with anyone.

Adelaide was alone with Lucy. Lucy was politely carrying the smallest of Adelaide's pieces, the video camera she'd brought along, while Adelaide got the rest.

"That's the car," Lucy said, pointing at the cream colored Mercedes convertible.

"_Your_ car?"

"While Melissa is away, it is." Lucy said.

"I hope I didn't bring too much stuff." Adelaide said as she piled her bag into the back seat.

"Hey, wait up!" someone called. Logan!

Adelaide smiled, then she shouldn't be to oblivious and stopped, then changed her mind. It didn't matter. Logan had pushed past her as if he'd never met her before. He dropped his bags in front of Lucy.

"Well, if it isn't Logan Mitchell. Back for another summer?"

Logan put on a tight smiled. "Lucy. Hi. Yeah, I'm back and look, I, uh, caught and earlier flight, so my grandfather can't pick me up…"

"You need a ride?"

"A cab would cost me ten bucks." Logan explained.

"Pile in," Lucy said. "You'll have to squeeze up from with us, This is my cousin, Adelaide."

"We sort of met," he said stiffly. Then he laughed, a gentle laugh, still a little embarrassed. "Did you say cousin? Adelaide you can't be related to Lucy, you're too nice."

Adelaide gritted her teeth at "nice" she was sick of being called nice. She heard it too many times. It was the kiss of death in a relationship.

Lucy lowered the top of the convertible. "So," she said to Logan. "is Camille down yet?"

Logan looked at Adelaide for a second and then looked back at his shoes. "No, I guess she's coming down next week."

Lucy pulled the car into traffic. "What's it been, four years with the same girlfriend, Logan? What's the deal, trying to with the faithfulness award or something?"

Logan glanced at Adelaide from under his long lashes. "Actually, um, Lucy, I kind of… Camille and I broke up."

"Oh really?" Lucy drew out the word skeptically. "You and Camille broke up, huh? Who's next to go? Ken and Barbie?"

"It just kind of happened," Logan said, Again, he looked meaningfully at Adelaide, as if sending her a message. Adelaide looked away.

"When did it happen?" Lucy asked.

"It's just been a week," Logan said. Looking at Adelaide he added, "It's kind of taking me a while to get over it totally. I guess it's strange to think of being with another girl, do you know what I mean?" Adelaide swallowed. Was he trying to make an excuse for walking away?

Lucy laughed. "It must be even stranger for Camille to get used to." She said

"Why do you say that?" Logan asked.

"You said you broke up a week ago?"

"Yes."

"It's just she called me this morning, asked me if I'd seen you down here yet."

Adelaide could feel tension in Logan's arm as it rested lightly on her shoulders. He seemed to be holding his breath. "She called you?"

Camille is under the impression that we are friends. Anyway, you know how she is. She wanted me to be sure that I gave you a message."

"A message?"

"Yeah." Lucy cut across two lanes of traffic. "She said to remind you that she'll be down on Tuesday. And of course the other thing."

"What other thing?" Logan asked.

Lucy sent him a condescending look. "To tell you that she loves you." Lucy laughed and shook her head. "Logan, Logan, Logan. it's not like you to tell lies about breaking up with people. What were you planning to do? Have a little fling with some sweet unsuspecting tourist girl before Camille showed up?"


	5. A Excellent MansionBut Not For Adelaide

Beach Blondes: June

Chapter 4- A Most Excellent and Luxurious Mansion. But Not for Adelaide.

"Which pincher is your house on?" Adelaide asked Lucy. She was trying to make conversation. Mostly because she was trying not to think about Logan's arm around her shoulders, resting on the seat back, or his leg pressed against hers. The front seat was cramped with the three of them.

_Camille! _No wonder Logan had acted so strange when they kissed. _Camille. _Boy, it was amazing how such warm, gentle brown eyes could lie. No wonder he's run off like that. Guilty conscience. And then, Lucy caught him in his lie!

Lucy stopped adjusting the rearview mirror and looked at Adelaide with genuine puzzlement. "Pincher? What are you talking about?"

"Crab Claw Key," Adelaide explained, shouting slightly as they passed beneath the highway. "You know the two pinchers."

"You mean the old side and the new side," Logan said quietly.

_You mean the old side and the new side, _Adelaide repeated with silent sarcasm. Anything like the old girlfriend and the new girlfriend? Toad. Faithless toad. Kissing Adelaide like that and making her feel… and then: _Camille_

"The smaller pincher, the one to the west, is the old side because that's where the town is and there didn't used to be much over on the new side," Lucy explained, sounding weary. "Now the new side is all built up. My house is on the old side."

"Oh," Summer said. They were passing a small shopping center on their left. Straight ahead the water was coming into view, marked by a small forest of boat masts. "I saw this monster house over on the big pin- I mean, over on the new side, right on the tip. I think they had a helicopter there."

Lucy's condescending smile evaporated. "Yeah that's the Diamond estate."

"Diamond?" Adelaide repeated. The name sounded familiar, apart from it being a rock.

"As in Senator Diamond," Logan interjected. "As in billionaires."

"No way!"

"All the money in the world and still jerks," Lucy said.

Adelaide could hear the anger in Lucy's voice.

"You and James Diamond still broken up?" Logan asked Lucy. "I was sure you'd be back together by now. How many eighteen-year-old billionaires are you going to run into? I thought you guys were even looking to go to the same college this fall."

"No," Lucy said shortly. She bit her lip, and Adelaide saw her shake her head, just slightly, as if trying to clear an image from her mind. "I don't think that plan is going to work out."

Lucy turned her shades toward Logan. "Although I do miss the parties we used to have over on the Diamond estate, Mr. Moon."

Now it was Logan's turn to look even more uncomfortable. Conversation in the car stopped.

They slowed as they entered the tiny town, just a few streets of white slap board buildings decorated with sun-faded awnings and quaint hand-lettered signs. The main street was lined at irregular intervals with palm trees, looking wonderfully alien to Adelaide's eyes.

So what if Lucy wasn't very friendly and the first guy she met turned out to be a jerk? There were still palm trees! Two tall, stunning, deeply tanned young women dressed in nothing but extremely small bikinis were rollerblading right down the middle of the street. An old man wearing nothing but shorts and far too much white body hair grinned toothlessly at the car as they glided by. Adelaide waved and the old man waved back. A perfectly normal-looking family, two parents and two kids, all blazingly white skin and an assortment of bright shorts and Key West t-shirts, walked along aimlessly.

Lucy turned down a side street and stopped the car in front of a small, neat house surrounded by a huge blaze or red flowers.

Logan got out, more or less climbing over Adelaide in the process. He lifted his bags out of the back.

"See you around." Logan said to both girls. Then, to Adelaide, "I hope… I mean…" he sighed resignedly. "Anyway, welcome to Florida."

He still had a very nice smile, even if he was a toad.

"Later," Lucy said, and took off.

Adelaide turned to look back. Logan was carrying his bags toward the door of the house. "Why did you call him Mr. Moon?"

Lucy grinned, the first real smile Adelaide had seen from her. "We were all at a big party at the Diamond estate. Logan was down at the pier, looking off at the sunset. Some guys decided he was being antisocial or whatever and decided to pants him.'

"What's that?"

"They yanked off his bathing suit and threw it in the water."

"Oh," Adelaide wasn't sure she wanted to hear the rest of the story but it was too late now.

"I used to be into photography back then, and I was already getting ready to shoot the sunset- and Logan standing there looking at it- because I thought it would make a cool shot. Anyway, they pants poor Logan, he dives off to get his bathing suit back, and I click at just the perfect moment." Lucy caught Adelaide's eye and gave her a devious look. "It's a really unique shot."

"Yeah, I'm sure." Summer put her hand over her heart. She tugged open the neck of her sweatshirt. It was definitely hot here. She didn't want to think about him. What had happened between them and was just a mistake. She was going to forget about it, and Logan had better forget about it too. She was going to start this vacation over, beginning now.

"I still have the picture around somewhere," Lucy said, obviously enjoying Adelaide's embarrassment. "I call it 'The Sun…and the Moon.'"

The town was soon behind them, and they drove faster down a road that ran right along the edge of the bay. The water could be glimpsed only in flashes between the mismatched array of houses: some new pink stucco mansions, some older, gaily painted wood homes, some simple ranch-style houses that would have been at home in the older parts of Detroit.

Lucy pulled the car into a driveway and under the shade of a portico. She turned off the engine. Adelaide smoothed her tangled hair back into place.

"This is it," Lucy said, looking the house over critically. "All the tackiness you'd expect from a semi-rich romance writer."

"It's huge," Adelaide said. The house was painted yellow and turquoise and white, a complex jumble of arched windows and fantastic turrets and screened balconies.

"Oh yeah, definitely huge. Only…" Lucy darted a quick look at Adelaide. And then she smiled. Her second smile, only it wasn't exactly pleasant. "Only not as huge as you'd think. Actually there are only five bedrooms in the whole place. Melissa and I each have one, of course. And there's one we keep for important guest- you know, people Melissa wants to impress. So that only leave two."

Adelaide smiled. "Well, I only need one."

"If only it were that easy," Lucy said regretfully. "Come on, I'll show you."

Adelaide climbed out and began lifting her bags from the backseat. The feeling of nervousness was growing stronger. What did Jade mean, _If only it were that easy? _And wasn't Lucy even going to help her carry her bags?

"Don't worry about carrying all your bags at once," Lucy said breezily as Adelaide struggled. "You can always come back for the rest later, if you decide to stay."

_If I decide to stay?_ It was almost as if Lucy was trying to get rid of her. In face, it was _exactly _as if Lucy was trying to get rid of her.

Lucy was quite proud of herself. It had come to her in a flash of inspiration. Of course! It was so simple. If she moved Adelaide into one of the regular bedrooms, she'd never get rid of her cousin. Face it, it was a great house. Who wouldn't want to stay in a designer-decorated bedroom overlooking the water, with a private bath and a private balcony and a housekeeper to make your bed?

Melissa has already picked out the perfect room for Adelaide. Way too perfect. No, Lucy had a much better idea for where Adelaide should stay. And with Melissa out of town, well, why not? With any luck at all, Adelaide would be on the next plane out of town.

Lucy conducted Adelaide through the house at a virtual run. Here's the kitchen, oh, yes, it's huge. Here's the family room. Oh, yes, it's huge too. Here's the game room, no, I don't play pool, the pool table's only there because you need a pool table to make it a game room. Here's my room, and here's Melissa's room…

"Why do you call your mother Melissa?" Adelaide asked.

"Because that's her name. She calls me Lucy because that's my name. That's the way it works." Lucy winced. Now she was getting _too _mean. That wasn't right. It wasn't Adelaide's fault she wasn't wanted here. Besides, if Adelaide was too cruel, Adelaide might get upset and start crying or something ,and then what?

But Adelaide didn't burst into tears.

"I call my mother Mom," Adelaide said matter-of-factly. "So where am I staying?"

"You know I told you there were two bedrooms left? Well, see, the problem is that one is being redecorated, so it's a mess," Technically true, Lucy told herself. Her mother was waiting on a new dresser for that room. "And the problem with the other room is…" Jade paused. Was Adelaide going to buy this at all? Only one way to find out. "The problem with the other room is that Melissa… Mom…has to have it available for when she gets hysterical."

Adelaide looked wary but not completely disbelieving. "Hysterical?"

Lucy nodded sagely. "Hysterical. It happens sometimes when Melissa… Mom… starts remembering dad- you know, the divorce and all, and the good times they had and so on. Then she gets hysterical because, well, her bedroom used to be _their_ bedroom and then it's like all these memories come back and she… she, uh, has to sleep in the other bedroom," Lucy finished lamely. "That's why there's like no room. In the house."

_Right, _Adelaide thought. _Does she think I'm a complete idiot?_ Jade was definitely not making her feel welcome. Fine. So Lucy wanted to get rid of her. That was fine too. Only it wasn't going to be that easy.

"So where an I supposed to stay?" Adelaide asked. "Am I supposed to sleep on the couch?"

"No, that wouldn't work. But there is a place for you." Lucy showed her brief, fake smile. "There's a definite place for you. Follow me."

Adelaide followed Lucy downstairs, down one of the twin, curving staircases that looked like something out of a movie, through the gigantic living room and out onto the porch, where the heat was waiting to pounce on her again.

They walked down across a sloping, green lawn toward the water, toward the water, toward the pot where a cabin cruiser was tied up to the pier. They turned left, aiming at a stand of tress. The shade of the trees was welcome. And then Adelaide saw it.

It was a bungalow, squat and homely, white paint chipped and faded, looking forlorn and abandoned. It would have looked like any way-below-average neighborhood except that is was raised on wooden stilts and stood directly over the water. Two jet skis were tied up there, knocking together haphazardly on the gentle swell.

A rickety-looking wooden walkway ran a hundred feet from the grassy, shaded shore to the house. The walkway wrapped around the house, forming a narrow deck lined with a not-exactly-reassuring railing. A pelican sat on one corner of the railing, its huge beak nestled in its brown feathers. As Adelaide watched, the pelican added to the crusty pile of droppings.

"It has a bedroom, a kitchen, and a bathroom," Lucy announced proudly.

"And a pelican who thinks the whole thing is a bathroom," Adelaide said.

"You'd have a lot of privacy here," Lucy said, trying unsuccessfully to keep from gloating. "Sure, there's a little mildew, some pelican droppings, and you know the furniture isn't the best…"

"This is where Aunt Melissa wants me to stay?" Adelaide asked dubiously.

"Oh, she's not much for details of who stays where," Lucy said, waving a hand, "You'll be thrilled to know that this is a historical house; that's why Melissa doesn't tear it down. It was used by rum smugglers back during Prohibition in the 1920s. And we were renting it out a couple of years ago."

"Uh-huh." Adelaide said. So this was Lucy's plan to get her to leave. She was going to stick her here in mildew manor. Lucy probably thought she'd just start boohooing and run home to her mother. Well, maybe she should, if now one wanted her here.

Only, Adelaide didn't like to get pushed around. She was here to have an excellent summer vacation, even if it meant living with the pooping pelican.

"Do I get to use the jet skis?" Adelaide asked tersely.

Lucy looked surprised. "Um, sure. I mean, if you're staying, I guess…" her voice drifted off.

"Of course I'm staying," Adelaide said. "This place looks beautiful and perfect, and you and I are going to become best friends, just like Aunt Melissa said." _Take that, witch. _Adelaide added silently.

Lucy swallowed. For the first time she looked unsure of herself. "We are?"


	6. Video Blog

**A/N Hey guys this is a video blog chapter. These happen every once and a while just to kind of break up the drama or after a long chapter. Also, I'm going up north for a week and I won't have internet to update. I'm going to update twice tonight and then next Sunday. Sorry! If you get bored, go read my other story "Love Is A Riddle" based on my life events!**

Beach Blondes: June

Chapter 5: Video Blog

Live, from fabulous Crab Claw Key, It's Adelaide DuPont!

Okay, okay. Hey Kristina. I said I would keep this video blog for you, and here's the first one. I barely know how to run this stupid camera, so if it's all jerky, don't blame me.

What you are looking at right now is my incredibly luxurious bedroom. You will notice the way the bed sort of sags and droops in the middle-very fashionable. And now you can see the kitchen. You say it looks like it's practically in the bedroom? Funny you should mention that; it sort of is. That's my stove. I think someone may have cleaned it once, about ten years ago. Refrigerator. Hang on, let me open it. See? Someone stocked it with exactly three cans of Pepsi and a half-eaten bag of Nacho Doritos.

Here's the bathroom. Cool tub, huh? I mean, it's got some rust stains, but it's huge, and see, it's one of those old-timey claw foot tubs.

But the tub isn't the best part of this place. No. the really neat thing is where the house is. See this square door on the floor? Hang on, let me pull it open. Urrgh. That's heavy, but you can see? Water. Right downstairs, that's actual seawater because this place is right over the water. Is that great or what?

Okay, outside. Follow me. Like you have a choice. The front door… and look! This little deck goes all the way around the house. And see? There's the walkway. See? It's like fifty feet or whatever from the shore.

Okay, now, there's the main house. You have to kind of look through all the trees to see all of it. I know what your thinking Kristina. You're thinking, whoa, that looks like a mansion and Adelaide's living in a shack. Okay that may be true. However, this shack is all mine. Besides, there are jet skis and I'm going to learn how to- oh, jeez, oh, oh, yuck. Gross. I brushed against some pelican stuff on the railing. Great. This pelican kind of lives here. There. There he is, diving for food.

Okay, back inside. Here, I'm going to put this down on the table and then I'll sit right in front of it.

Okay. Now can you see me? Hi. As you can see, it's not like I have a tan yet. I just got here like an hour ago.

So far everything's fine. Except that my cousin- Lucy, the one who lives here?- I think she hates me. I think it was her big idea to stick me out here in the stilt house because her mom, who is my aunt, is out of town for the week. So I'm stuck with cousin Lucy, who doesn't want to be stuck with me I guess.

Okay, I'm not getting bummed. Just because Lucy thinks I'm like some hopeless case, that's just what she thinks.

Although she is totally cool' I mean, she's one of those girls you and I can't stand, you know? She looks like that model they always have in _Teen Vogue_, you know the one I mean?

Anyway. I guess it will be better when my aunt Melissa gets back. I hope so, since Mom and Dad are off on vacation themselves and my plane ticket is for three months from now. So I'm stuck, no matter how much Lucy doesn't like it. I'm stuck in mildew world.

I'm not crying.

Okay, I am crying, but just a little. It's been a stressful day. There was this one guy I met. Okay, more than met, but it's a whole long story, so let me just give you the short version: he's a using little creep.

You see, there was this… this think that happened with him. In the airport. I'll tell you later when I'm done feeling weirded out by it.

Oh, and there are supposed to be two other guys too, if you believe in that kind of stuff. But, okay, later on all that. Anyway, I'm going to turn this thing off. I have to unpack and try to clean this dump up a little, and it's starting to get dark out. Let's hope this summer gets better fast.


	7. Strange Dreams and Stranger Realities

Beach Blondes: June

Chapter 6: First Night, Strange Dreams and Stranger Realities

Summer lay in her bed. It definitely sagged in the middle.

Earlier she'd gone up to the main house, called her mother to let her know she'd make it to Florida alive, and gotten some sheets and a blanket form Lucy, feeling like Oliver Twist begging for more gruel. Lucy had seemed friendly in about the same way that a cat seems friendly to a mouse.

_Maybe I should just give up and go home_, Adelaide thought miserably. "Too bad that's impossible." She muttered into the darkness.

It was a little creepy inside the stilt house with the lights out. A silvery shaft of moonlight had appeared in her window, illuminating her desk and the video camera resting there. It made her think of her best friend, Kristina, and that made her think of home. Home, with her familiar bedroom, and all her posters and photos on the wall, with her CDs neatly in their rack.

Summer kicked off the single blanket and pulled the sheet over her. It was hot in the house, even with all the windows open. Even the boxers and baby-tee she wore to bed felt like too much.

"Hot and depressed and lonely," she told the stifling air. "So far it's a great vacation." If she were home, she'd go get some ice cream from the freezer.

From the windows she heard the sound of the water lapping gently at the pilings that supported the house. When the jet skits rocked there was a hollow sound, like coconuts being knocked together softly. And the house itself creaked and groaned, but in an almost musical way.

It was sometime later that the video camera seemed to turn on and begin projecting a flickering image on the wall, like an old-fashioned home movie. Adelaide saw a backyard scene, the yard of her house in Michigan. The swing set her parents had bought for her third birthday. The little play pool, filled with plastic toys. Her Oscar the Grouch! She hadn't see Oscar in years.

Adelaide rose from her bed and moved toward the images. Her mother was in the picture now, gazing at her with that familiar look of concern. That look that said _Sometimes, Adelaide, I swear you worry me. _

"Come out of there," her mother said, holding out her hand. Adelaide looked down and realized she was covered in mud. What a mess. The pelican, who was now swimming in her pool, was trying to look innocent, but obviously he was responsible.

Suddenly Adelaide was in her room back home, looking down at her bed, only the bed kept shrinking till it was the size of a doll bed. It made Adelaide angry, though she wasn't sure why. Something caught her eye. Three cards lay in a row on the covers. Two were facedown. One was turned up, and when Adelaide looked closer, she saw it was a photograph- a photograph of a red sun and a pale, white moon. The moon made her feel very uncomfortable.

Then, all at once, Summer was back in the stilt house, hearing some new noise to add to the creaks and groans and lapping water. The flickering images of home faded out and disappeared.

Her eyes opened. A creaking sound, very clear, _very _clear and real and not a part of the dream. A creaking sound and now a tuneless, almost random humming.

Adelaide lay perfectly still. The sound had come from very close. But she was turned away from it and not willing to roll over to see what it might be.

It was the hatch in the floor! That's what it had to be. The hatch that led down to the water, down to where the jet skis were. Down to where some monster, some ax murderer, some creature had been lying, waiting for her to fall asleep so he could creep up the stairs and come in through the hatchway and kill her, hacking her up with a machete.

Adelaide rolled over so slightly. Now the room didn't seem so hot. No, it had definitely gotten chillier. She wished she had her blanket back. She could pull it over her head and hope the murderer went away.

A light!

Adelaide slitted her eyes and stared, barely able to breathe. A blue-white light emanated from the kitchen.

The humming stopped and was replaced by a mixture of whistling and humming.

The light in the kitchen disappeared. From the darkness came the distinctive sound of a pop-top. The whistling stopped. A satisfied sigh.

A light flickered, then a candle, a brilliant yellow pinpoint of light in the dark, illuminating a startling sight.

"Aaargh!" The figure yelled.

"Aaargh!" Adelaide jumped back as If she'd been electrocuted, snatching her sheet around her like a shield.

"Wh-what are you-"

"Who- what are you- get out of here!"

"Chill out, don't shoot or anything!"

"Don't kill me, I'm from Michigan!"

A silence, during which Adelaide listened to the panic-driven jackhammer beat of her heart. Her teeth rattled.

"Did you just say 'Don't kill me, I'm from Michigan'?"

"Uh-uh-uh-uh, yes," Adelaide chattered.

"What's Michigan got to do with anything?"

"Uh, nothing, I guess"

"Who _are_ you?" he asked, coming warily closer. Now Adelaide could see that he wasn't a monster. He could still be an ax murderer, but not a monster. He had wet, short either black or dark brown hair, like mine. He only wore a madras bathing suit that clung to him damply.

"I'm Adelaide. Ad- Adelaide DuPont."

"Oh."

"Who are you?" Adelaide managed to ask. Her voice sounded strained with the tightness in her throat and the still chattering teeth.

"I'm Carlos."

"Carlos?"

"Yeah."

"What are you doing here?" Adelaide demanded.

"What am _I_ doing her?" Carlos asked, mildly outraged. He took a sip of his Pepsi and sat the candle down on her desk, balancing it carefully. "What are _you_ doing here?"

"Living here," Adelaide said. "And people know I'm here so don't try anything."

"I live here." Carlos said. "At least, I mean, I use the bathroom and the kitchen here. I don't sleep here." He pulled out the desk chair. "I usually sleep up on the roof."

"You can't live here; my aunts owns this place."

"Oh. She's that rich lady with really big hair?"

"Yes."

"Well, I don't care who owns it," Carlos said. "I live here. I've been coming here for… for like months."

"Fine, I'm not going to call the cops or anything," Adelaide said. "Just go away and don't come back. Okay?" She was gaining courage from the fact that Carlos hadn't done anything sudden. Yet. And, not that you could tell just by looking, but he didn't look dangerous. In fact, by the candle's light, he looked… beautiful. There was no other word for it. Beautiful.

"Where am I supposed to take a shower and cook breakfast and sleep when it rains?"

Adelaide shrugged. "I don't know."

"Yeah, I didn't think you'd have an answer for that." Carlos said triumphantly.

"You sure can't live with me, and I love here, so that's it." Adelaide said flatly.

"Go stay in your aunt's house," Carlos said. "She must have plenty of room."

"I can't," Adelaide said." "I can't stay there, I can't go home to Detroit, I have to stay here. I'm stuck."

"Me too," Carlos said. "We're both stuck."

"Excuse me, but whatever you're thinking, forget it." Adelaide said, crossing her arms over her chest. "I don't, like, go out with guys I meet creeping into my room in the middle of the night."

"I don't go out with girls at all."

"Oh. Are you… not that it's any of my business. I mean, I don't have a problem if you're gay or anything like that…"

Carlos tilted back his head and looked at her with a certain distant intensity. "I no longer involve myself with women. They disturb my _wa._"

"Wa?"

"My_ wa_. My inner harmony. Haven't you ever read any eastern philosophy?" Carlos smiled placidly, looking quite smug and superior. Then the smugness dropped away. "But I'm not gay," He said. "Not that I would care. I'm just saying I'm not. If I were, then women wouldn't disturb my _wa _the way they do."

"Whatever. Just get out, okay?"

Carlos stood up. "It's a beautiful night. I'll sleep outside with Frank."

"Fine, whatever you say. Just leave."

He turned away and headed for the door. He stopped with his hand on the knob. "Frank isn't a dude, by the way, so forget it if that's what you're thinking." He nodded as if he'd reached some profound decision. "Tomorrow I'll talk to Frank. The he can decide which of us stays and which goes."

Adelaide rushed over as soon as her was gone and locked the door behind him. Then she ran back and , huffing and grunting, slid the desk over the hatchway.

"There," She muttered. "Now you and your _wa _will have a real hard time getting back in."


	8. Raisin Toast, and the Amazing Perez

Beach Blondes: June

Chapter 7: Raisin Toast, Imaginary Figments, and the Amazing Perez

Lucy took a while looking through the contents of her walk-in closet, searching for the right thing to wear. The right thing turned out to be white shorts and a white bikini top. White reflected sunlight and hence was cooler than other colors.

Also, white looked innocent. And she decided as she descended the stairs, she needed all the help she could get in looking innocent. She didn't feel innocent. She felt like s selfish, rotten human being who had tricked her cousin into spending the night in a milldewy dump. Once, in the dark hours of the early morning, she almost gotten up and gone down to the stilt to get Adelaide and bring her back.

But really, she was doing Adelaide a favor. Adelaide might think she wanted to be here, but that was only because Adelaide didn't understand anything.

The set of stairs led directly from just outside her room to the breakfast room. And there, sitting at the long pine table, was Adelaide. At least her cousin hadn't been murdered in the night. That was a relief. Lucy didn't need any new reasons to hate herself.

Adelaide looked up from her plate and smiled. Smiled that big, happy-yet-shy smile.

"Hi," Adelaide said, chewing. "I hope it's all right. I don't have any food down at my house yet."

"Of course it's all right," Lucy said quickly. She tried out her most innocent look. "You have to eat."

"Thanks."

"Did you find everything you want?" Lucy asked. "I mean, here in the kitchen."

"Yeah, all I eat is raisin toast for breakfast, mostly."

"Raisin toast?" Lucy narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "That's what I have in the morning too."

"No way." Adelaide laughed a little and looked amused.

"What?" Lucy demanded.

"Nothing. It's just, I figured you had something different. Like eggs Benedict or something."

Lucy went to the toaster. The bread was still out on the gray marble counter. "Why would I eat eggs Benedict?"

Adelaide shrugged. "I don't know. That was the most fancy thing I could think of. You always hear about movie stars having eggs Benedict and champagne."

"No champagne." Lucy said dryly. "Coffee. You drink coffee?"

Adelaide nodded. "Only, I couldn't figure out how to work your machine."

"I'll do it. It's kind of complicated." Lucy dumped whole beans into the grinder, sent them spinning, and then measured the grounds into the coffee machine. "Coffee and raisin toast," she muttered, watching the back of Adelaide's head.

"Every morning almost. I'll have to buy a toaster and a coffee machine for my house."

A little stab of guilt made Lucy wince. "How…um, how was… did you sleep okay?"

Adelaide turned around in her chair, but her brown eyes were evasive. "I slept okay, I guess. I was going to ask you, though…"

"Ask me what?" Lucy almost snapped.

"Just that I was wondering if you know of anyone who used the stilt house for anything."

Lucy shrugged. Her toast popped up. The coffee began to dribble down, sending the aroma through the room. "No one's used it for anything, at least. Not since the last renter moved out."

"Huh."

"Why?"

Adelaide sighed heavily and again looked evasive. "I don't know. I think I just had this dream that some guy was there. But when I got up, there was this burned candle and one of the Pepsis gone. I guess I could have been walking in my sleep."

"You walk in your sleep?" Lucy wondered.

"No. Never before, anyway. I dream a lot, though, and in my dreams I walk around."

"I try not to dream." Lucy said.

Silence fell between them. The coffee machine dripped and then began its final sputtering.

"He was cute, though." Adelaide said.

"Who? The dream guy?" Lucy poured two cups of coffee and carried them with her toast to the table.

"Yeah, he was way cute. Beyond cute."

"Then it_ must _have been a dream," Lucy pronounced. "A figment of your imagination."

"I guess so." Adelaide agreed. "Do you ever have dreams like that?"

"Me?" The question took Lucy by surprise. "No, at least not that I remember."

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

Lucy squirmed a little in the chair. "Not right at the moment."

"I've never had one," Adelaide admitted. "Not a real one."

Lucy made a face. "Yeah, right."

"It's true. Why would I make up something like that?"

The confession, made so simply and straightforwardly, took Lucy aback. There was nothing wrong with not having a boyfriend- in fact, in Lucy's experience it was probably better that way- but Adelaide was just so out front about it. Most girls would have tried to act cooler about it. Like, hey, the guys are after me, but they're too immature.

"I guess you've probably had lots of boyfriends." Adelaide said.

"One or two," Lucy admitted. This was the wrong topic. The absolutely wrong topic. It was as if Adelaide had some instinct guiding her to the last thing on earth that Lucy wanted to talk about

"There was a guy back home that I really liked, only he didn't know I existed." Adelaide made a wry, self-deprecating face. "I have much better luck in my dreams."

Lucy laughed and then quickly took a sip of her coffee. She'd have to watch herself. For a moment there she'd found herself kind of liking her cousin. "So what are you going to do today?"

"I'm going to look around and maybe get a job," Adelaide said. "Would you come with me? I mean unless you have something planned?"

"Why would you want me to come with you?" What was with this girl? Why was she so nice? She wasn't an idiot; she must know Lucy was trying to blow her off.

"I thought if might be fun," Adelaide said. "Besides, I'm new here, so if I go around with you everyone will think 'oh, okay, she must not be a total nobody if she's with Lucy.'"

Lucy finished her coffee and stared darkly at the bottom of the cup. Yes, she was definitely going to have to work at disliking her cousin.

**-Page Break-**

In the end, Lucy decided not to come with her into town, and Adelaide was actually relieved. It was a wonderful feeling to be walking along the road, free, on her own, almost undisturbed by traffic, feeling the sun on her shoulders and arms. She turned her face to the sun, already most of the way up the sky though it wasn't yet ten in the morning.

Adelaide saw a huge, tall, white bird out on the road before her.

"Reminds me of Lucy." Adelaide said. Jade had that same grace and elegance. That same distain.

Too bad, Adelaide thought. She felt as if she were almost bonding with her cousin over raisin toast and coffee, but then Lucy pulled away again.

Adelaide shrugged. It was impossible to feel bad when the sun was in the sky and the air was warm. She stuck her arms straight out and tilted back her head, soaking up the light, closing her eyes to see the red suffusing her eyelids.

Something slapped into her left arm.

"Hey watch were you're swinging those!" someone yelled.

Adelaide opened her eyes and saw a girl running in place, pumping her arms, sweat staining her spandex top. She had dark curly hair, huge dark eyes, and a naturally dark complexion. An iPod was strapped to her arm, and headphones rested in her ears.

"Sorry," Adelaide said. "I thought I was alone."

"Can't hear you. You like the sun huh?" The girl yelled, still running in place.

"Yes!" Adelaide shouted.

"Cool!" The girl ran circles around Adelaide. "You're new, right?"

Adelaide turned slowly to keep facing her. "Yes. I just got here yesterday."

"Huh?"

"Yesterday!" Adelaide said in a louder voice. "I just got here yesterday."

"When?"

"YESTERDAY."

"Huh?"

"I SAID YESTERDAY!" Adelaide screamed.

The girl stopped running and broke up laughing. She pulled the earphones from her head. She bent over, hands on her knee, laughing and looking up at Adelaide with tears in her eyes. "Batteries are dead." the girl managed to gasp, pointing at her iPod.

Adelaide was annoyed for a moment. But then, it was kind of funny. She laughed at the image of herself, screaming at the top of her lungs.

The girl stopped laughing and looked at her quizzically. "You laugh, huh? That's a good thing." She pointed at Adelaide. "I can't stand people who can't laugh at themselves. People that take themselves all serious. I'm Perez."

"You're what?"

"Perez. That's my name. Technically it's Maria Esmeralda Perez, but hey, every Cuban-American female on earth is named Maria, right, and there's no way I'm going to be called Esmeralda, so I go by Perez." She extended a damp hand.

"I'm Adelaide DuPont."

"Yeah? Well let me ask you, Adelaide- you think my thighs are too fat?" Perez turned around so Adelaide could check all angles.

"No, not at all," Adelaide answered honestly.

"All right. In that case, why should I be out here running? I hate exercise. What are you doing?"

Adelaide shrugged. "I was going to check out the town."

Perez laughed. "That should kill about five minutes."

"Plus I have to find a job." Adelaide said.

They set off toward town, walking side by side, with Perez drying her face on her terry-cloth wristband. "Job? What kind of job you want? What do you know how to do?"

"Nothing really." Adelaide admitted.

"Oh, in that case I know where you can get a job, you poor girl."

"Really?" Adelaide asked eagerly.

"Yeah, the C 'n' C is looking for more victims, I mean, waitresses. The Crab 'n' Conch. Picture this- a restaurant run by the Marines. Except they're not actually Marines, because then, you know, they'd have to have some decency."

"I don't know how to waitress."

"That's okay. They don't want people who know what they're doing. They like to get them young and impressionable; you know, so they can mold you into a perfect robot. I know all this because I work there."

"You make it sound really fun." Adelaide said dryly.

Perez grinned. "It's hateful, but with the tips and all it's good money. I'll take you there and introduce you to one of the managers. So where are you staying?"

"My aunt and my cousin live here."

"Yeah? Who are they? I probably know them. I know everyone, It's a small island."

"My aunt is Melissa Stone and my cousin's Lucy."

Perez stopped and stared, incredulous. "You're staying with Lucy Stone? Wait a minute- you're _related _to Lucy Stone?"

"She's my cousin, on my dad's side of the family. You know her?"

"Sure. She's in school, or at least she was, because now she's graduated. You can't be related to Lucy," Perez said. "You seem way too nice and normal."

Adelaide winced. There is was again- the N word. Nice. Nice, meaning average, meaning who cares?

"You're the second person to say that." Adelaide said.

"Who was the first?"

"This guy named Logan."

"Mr. Moon! Mr. Moon is back? All right, the summer is starting to pick up," Perez said. "He's a nice guy."

Adelaide nodded. Some nice guy. A nice guy who lied about having a girlfriend so he could… Adelaide shuddered a little. Why wasn't she able to just forget that stupid kiss? Why did it still seem to reverberate through her body whenever she thought about it?

"Nice _and_ cute." Perez said appreciatively. "Not my type, though. Besides he's got this girlfriend he's been going with forever. Was she with him?"

"No. Camille right?"

"Yeah Camille." Perez stuck her finger down her throat and made a gagging noise.

"You don't like Camille?" Adelaide asked, trying not to sound too hopeful.

"She's okay. She's just one of these totally dependent types. You know, hanging all over Logan and not letting him have fun. I wish I had her body, though. She shops petites. Complains because she can't find things in size two"

Adelaide nodded. Camille would have to have a great body.

Forget about it, Adelaide, she told herself firmly. Get over it. Put it behind you. Jeez, it was just a kiss. Big deal. Actually, it was two kisses. That doesn't matter; it was just something that happened. Forget about it.

Perez interrupted her thoughts. "So, Adelaide, since you're staying with Lucy, tell me this- is it true she sleeps in a coffin at night? Oh maybe I shouldn't say things like that. I mean she is your cousin."

"I don't really know her that well." Adelaide admitted.

"Actually, she's not that bad," Perez said. "Just strange, you know? Stays to herself, especially in the past year. I mean she was always kind of private, right? But the last year it's like no one is even allowed to talk to her because she's become just too cool."

"She isn't a really friendly person," Adelaide agreed cautiously. "But that's okay."

"Yeah, not a real friendly person," Perez said, and laughed. "She used to at least hang out, and she was going out with James Diamond. She was going with him, and he goes everywhere so she we being more social. Then, boom. Like maybe last July she suddenly dumps James cold. He's totally great looking, also totally rich and nice and not stuck-up, and she dumps him."

Adelaide digested this information. Whatever Lucy was lacking in terms of friendliness, Perez certainly made up for. The girl talked a mile a minute and barely paused to breath.

"So ever since she broke up with James, it's been bye-bye Lucy. She showed up at school, and that's it. We're all thinking it's like some R. L. Stine book or something, like she's turned into a teen vampire, you know?"

"I've seen her in the sunlight, and she hasn't burst into flames or anything." Adelaide said.

Perez laughed appreciatively, an infectious sound that brought answering laughter from Adelaide. "You are definitely all right, girl. I like you. Come one and I'll do something really mean to you. I'll get you a jog at the C 'n' C."


End file.
